How Much Is Too Much
by Sharon10
Summary: After A Fight With Bo, Nora Vanishes Into Thin Air. When Bo Recieves A Call From A Serial Killer And Discovers She's Been Buried Alive, Will He Be Able To Find Her In Time And Stop A Mad Man From Claiming Another Victim. BONORA
1. How Much Is Too Much Parts 1 & 2

I wrote this story back when one of the serial killer stories (I can't remember which) was happening and I decided that I was tired of them ALWAYS revolving around John. Lol. Here's a new take on a Serial killer. Lol. 

Background Info: After a fight with Bo, Nora just vanished. Bo got a call from the killer, and realized that Nora had been taken. Now he struggles to find a way to bring Nora home before its too late...

Part 1

Police Station...

Bo turned to look at John after Marcie had said the words. He wouldn't accept it. Everyone had said she was gone before. He had seen her go up in flames and she still came back to him. She was alive then and she was alive now. No one could tell him otherwise.

Bo: Don't say that. Don't you EVER say that again? Nora's NOT dead. She's not. I would feel if she were. 

He could feel the tears welling in his eyes but he refused to give in to them. How could he have been so stupid? How could he have treated her so carelessly? She was missing now. Missing and probably scared. He can hear the voices in his head. The ones that call her name. And when he closes his eyes he can see her begging him to save her. Save her, he thought. How can he save her when he doesn't know what he's dealing with. This is Nora he thought... a woman who lived life by her own rules... a woman who had lost her will to fight...

John: Look... you know we're doing everything we can to find her.

Bo: That's not good enough. I'm not going to loose someone else I... well someone I care about. She's out there John. And she's probably scared. We have to find her.

John: I know and we will. We're not giving up on her. I promise.

Bo: What am I supposed to tell Matthew? How do I make him understand? 

At that precise moment Natalie walked in and smiled at him for reassurance.

Natalie: Why don't you let me handle that Uncle Bo? You just concentrate on finding Nora.

Bo: I... Thanks kid. I really appreciate it. (He turned to Marcie) You've got to give me something here Marcie. I can't find a needle in a haystack.

Everything else was a blur. Marcie had said the words... Buried alive. Buried in some park they had yet to name. He had called in a favor but refused to wait around when Nora's life depended on it. If he had to search every park in the state he would find her. And once he did, he would make sure she never suffered one more second. He felt like his life was in a fog now. This was happening because of him... for some unknown reason someone was getting back at him. But why, he wondered? And why would they take Nora instead of Paige when everyone knew they had been over for years? The truth Bo. The truth will set you free... and yet all he could manage was to say "I'm sorry." I 'm sorry... two words that were supposed to make everything ok and yet only made him feel worse. I'm sorry... two words he had been saying far too much to her lately. And then he got the call that would change his life forever. The killer had made contact.

What have you done to her, he found himself whisper in hushed tones.

All he could hear was the sound of the killer's sadistic laugh and then the phone went dead. He pressed redial and prayed that the killer was stupid enough to use a registered phone. That was when he got Paige's voice mail. Was it a coincidence? Probably not. Now he knew why everything seemed to come back to him. It WAS about him. His girlfriend was a cold blooded killer... and she was using Nora as bait. He could feel the chills run down his body as his phone rang. It was john telling him to try Kendall Creek Park. It was clear by the sound in his voice that he thought he would be looking for Ashes but Bo knew better. He knew he would find her in time. He just had to. And with that he pulled out of the driveway and drove in the other direction. He turned on the radio and heard the news Bulletin. Ashes they had said. They all thought she was ashes. Well he'd show them he thought as he drove faster. Oh not this song, he could hear himself say. Every dam song reminded him of her but this one was their song... and it tore his heart out all over again when he listened to it.

When a man loves a woman  
Can't keep his mind on nothing else  
He'll trade the world  
For the good thing he's found  
If she's bad he can't see it  
She can do no wrong  
Turn his back on his best friend  
If he put her down

When a man loves a woman  
Spend his very last dime  
Tryin' to hold on to what he needs  
He'd give up all his comfort  
Sleep out in the rain  
If she said that's the way it ought to be

Well, this man loves a woman  
I gave you everything I had  
Tryin' to hold on to your precious love  
Baby, please don't treat me bad

When a man loves a woman  
Down deep in his soul  
She can bring him such misery  
If she plays him for a fool  
He's the last one to know  
Lovin' eyes can't ever see

When a man loves a woman  
He can do no wrong  
He can never own some other girl  
Yes when a man loves a woman  
I know exactly how he feels  
'Cause baby, baby, baby, you're my world

When a man loves a woman...

TBC

Part 2

Bo felt like time had literally stopped as he finally made it to his destination. Every bone in his body ached... ached for her. And he knew that his heart couldn't take another goodbye. He grabbed the shovel out of his trunk and made his way towards the field. If he had to dig up every inch of this place he would. But one thing he would NOT do is live a life without her... he wouldn't fail her this time.

Every minute that went by that he didn't find her felt like hours. He was beginning to loose his concentration as he made his way through every last inch of the park. All he could think of was how much he wanted to kill the person who had done this to her... and how in all actuality this was probably his fault. The fact that they fought before she disappeared only made things worse. He didn't want her last memory of him to be a bad one. Just when he had almost resigned himself to the fact that she wasn't here, he found what he was looking for.

Bo: NORA!!! Nora, wake up. Nora, I need to you to help me here. Wake up. NORA!!

She was lying at the bottom of a grave unconscious. He could tell by her position that she had probably fought it and then resigned herself to her predicament. He wondered how she must of felt when they locked her inside like a caged animal... if she knew she was probably going to die... and if she did then he wondered what she thought about to get her through. And heaven forbid, he wondered if they had tortured her before they decided to kill her. All he knew was that she was half dead by the time he reached her. And he had to find a way to revive her.

He carried her out of the grave and placed her on the grass. He couldn't believe how frail she looked. And by the looks of things, if she had been in there any longer she would be dead. He had to get her some nourishment because it was obvious she had been starved... and frozen.

He took off his jacket and wrapped her in it. Then he picked up the phone and called John.

John: Did you find her?

Bo: Yeah... Barely.

John: What does that mean? Is she ok?

Bo: John these maniacs buried her alive... they starved her... she almost froze to death... and from the looks of things... (His voice cracked a little) they tortured her.

John: Oh God. I'm sorry.

Bo: Look she was half dead when I found her. I have to get her out of here. She needs medical attention. I'm calling because you need you to do me a favor.

John: What's that?

Bo: I need you to fake her death?

John: WHAT? Why?

Bo: Cause I think it's Paige who's doing this. (Pause) I don't have any proof John. But it's my responsibility to keep Nora safe. She's been through too much already. I won't be responsible for causing her even one more second of agony. When I think of what could have happened to her...

John: I know. You don't have to say it. (Pause) I'll get you the proof that you need.

Bo: Good. Cause I'm not subjecting her to any more danger. As soon as you have her behind bars then let me know and we'll come home. Until then we're staying out of sight.

John: What about Paige? Is she going to believe you left her?

Bo: John, It's over between us. She just tried to kill Nora. That is NOT ok in my book. For now she just has to believe that I left because I was upset over Nora's death. It's the only thing that would make any sense.

John: And not too far from the truth really...

Bo: John, look for an accomplice. I don't think she could have done this alone. I'm trusting you with Nora's future here. 

John: And I won't let you down. You just make sure she lives through this in order to HAVE a future.

Bo: There's one exception to this rule John. You HAVE to tell Viki and the family. They love Nora. They'd be devastated if they thought she had died. I won't put them through that. And RJ and Evangeline. They need to know. They're her friends. Everyone else you can make the call. But don't tell anyone you think might betray her. Because this has to be believable John... or it won't work. I know you don't trust RJ. Neither do I. But he loves Nora. And I think we may need someone like him to pull this off. Find someone else to deliver the news... someone he trusts. Someone who would have no reason to lie.

John: Got it.

Bo: Ok, got to go. Nora needs to get to a doctor. 

John: Good luck Commissioner. I have a feeling you're going to need it.

Bo: All I need is right here in my arms. I only hope she'll be ok.

John: She will be.

Bo: Please tell Viki to take care of Matthew and keep him safe.

John: I will.

Bo: Thanks.

After he hung up the phone, he turned to Nora, who was still unconscious in his arms.

Bo: Don't worry baby. I'm getting you out of here. I'm going to get you some help. You can count on that. You can count on me. Always.

He picked her up and carried her to the car... they were now headed for parts unknown.

John, in the meantime had turned to Natalie for help with what was sure to be the most difficult thing of his Career... faking an innocent woman's death.

TBC


	2. How Much Is Too Much Part 3

**How Much Is Too Much- Part 3  
Bo/Nora, OLTL**

Bo ran into a hospital a few miles up the road when Nora started burning up. He was screaming for a doctor when someone finally came out with a stretcher. As they lifted her onto the gurney, Bo found himself with nothing to do but pray.

Doctor: What happened?

Bo: I... I... She was buried alive.

Doctor: Oh God... God how long was she in there?

Bo: I... I'm sorry, I have no idea. When I found her she was half dead. Please... Please you have to help her.

Doctor: I'll do everything I can.

Everything after that was a blur as he heard the doctor screaming orders and wheeling her into the emergency room. All he could do was stand there and pray for a miracle. And hope to God that John and Natalie were able to pull off what her life depended on. 

John: Call the funeral home Marcie

Marcie: What? She's Not... No.

Natalie: That was Uncle Bo. He was a wreck. Said he's leaving town indefinitely because all he found were ashes.

Marcie: She was so young and beautiful. He must be devastated.

John: Yeah he is. Especially since he never got to tell her that he loves her.

Marcie: You think he does?

John: I know he does. We're all going to miss her. Nora was one heck of an amazing person.

Marcie: Yes she was. I still can't believe she's gone.

John: Neither can we. Now if you'll excuse us, we have some arrangements to make. If we can't do anything else, at least we can make her death count for SOMETHING.

Natalie: We will John. Nora's death will NOT be in vain.

They went back into Bo's office and sat down at the desk.

Natalie: How are we going to pull this off John? Eventually people are going to find out. There's no body.

John: I know. That's why we have to find one.

Natalie: WHAT? You want us to steal a body

When the doctors came out of the hospital room, Bo didn't know what to make from the look on his face.

Bo: What is it Doc? Is she ok?

Doctor: She survived. That's a whole lot different then being ok.

Bo: What does that mean exactly?

Doctor: She started going into cardiac arrest. We got her stabilized. We set up an IV to get some fluids into her body. We've also got her body heat back to normal.

Bo: Ok, so that's a good thing right?

Doctor: Yeah. She should start feeling a whole lot stronger in no time. (Pause) Look, I don't know the whole story here and my guess is that you don't want me to.

Bo: Her life is in danger here doc. She needed medical attention because when I found her she was almost dead.

Doctor: That's my point. If you had gotten here any later, she WOULD be dead. As it is, she's in critical condition. Any thoughts you might have about taking her out of here in the next few days will be in vain. She's not strong enough.

Bo: But I thought you said...

Doctor: She's got a long way to go before she's healed. Especially since...

Bo: What? What aren't you telling me?

Doctor: I had to have a test done to see if she was sexually assaulted. I know this is hard to face here but the signs are there. If she was buried are alive, then chances are they tortured her.

Bo (Tears in His eyes): Oh God... God I was afraid of that. (Pause)  
Is there anything I can do to help her?

Doctor: Yeah... you can talk to her. From the looks of things, she doesn't think there's anything to come back to.

Bo: What do you mean?

Doctor: She's not waking up. And the longer she's out of it, the more chance there is that she won't survive this. If you have any pull with her, I'd use whatever you have because she needs your strength.

Bo said nothing as he was led to Nora's room. When he saw the tubes and the machines keeping her alive, he almost broke down. Finally he just sat and took her hand.

Bo: Ok Red, you got my attention. If that's what you were trying to do, it worked. You need to fight this. I know you don't think there's anything to come back to but there is. You can't die before I get a chance to tell you how much I love you... and how incredibly sorry I am that I put you in the hands of a serial killer. Please Nora. Please come back to me. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything.

She heard singing as she walked down a long road that she didn't recognize at all. There were bright lights but she couldn't figure out if she was coming or going. That was when she saw her sitting on a swing with a child in her arms.

Nora: Luna? Am I... Am I Dead?

Luna: Not yet. But I'll tell you something darling, you better start fighting harder or you WILL be. What's wrong with you Nora? I've never known you to be a quitter. Why are you just giving up?

Nora: I... I don't have anything to go back to anymore. 

Luna: That's a load of hogwash... and I'm going to show you why.

Nora: Where are we going?

Luna: To see what will happen to your family if you don't survive. And what will happen to this little one...

Nora: What do you mean? Whose Child Is This?

Luna: Well she could be yours... But if you don't pull yourself together and start fighting... she won't even be conceived. 

TBC


	3. How Much Is Too Much Part 4

How Much Is Too Much- Part 4

Luna led Nora towards the light and they walked into an old rundown building in a bad part of town. That was when she saw the children. Matthew was dressed like a gang member and seemed to be experimenting in drugs and alcohol. He was a teenager but clearly an adult by his behavior. Nora looked at Luna in shock—

Nora: I don't understand? Why would Matthew get involved in all this stuff? He's a good kid.

Luna: He didn't have his mom around to make sure he STAYED that way. (Pause) Nora, when you left the world, you left that kid with an incredible void in his life. He completely shut down—stopped trusting people—stopped believing in the good—and he was susceptible to peer pressure because he didn't care anymore.

Nora: But what about Bo—why isn't he around to help him?

Luna: We'll get to that. First you need to see what happens to your daughter.

When she turned around, she saw the life that she dreaded. Rachel had fallen off the wagon and was now a full fledged prostitute. Her heart felt sick.

Nora: Rachel would never go back to this? It took so long for her to get clean? Why would she—why would she go back to that life?

Luna: She lost the person she cared the most about. Nora, she's always wanted your approval but when you weren't around, she gave in to her worst impulses because it didn't matter anymore. She didn't have _you_ around to support her.

Nora: Both my kids are on drugs? I'm almost afraid to ask what happens to Bo? If it's _this_ bad for them then it must be _horrible_ for him.

She turned around and suddenly they weren't in the neighborhood anymore. They were in a dark, empty jail cell. Nora's heart almost broke in two when she saw the horrible state he was in.

Nora: Why is he in jail?

Luna: He blamed himself for what happened to you. The evidence against Paige suddenly disappeared and he was arrested.

Nora: WHAT? They arrested him for hurting me? That's crazy.

Luna: But _you_ weren't around to get him off? The only person on the planet who knew the truth was dead. He shut down completely Nora. When he lost his heart before he could tell her, he reverted to the Buchanan way of life and he lost custody of Matthew. Everything after that was a reaction to loosing the only two people he really cared about.

Nora: But who got custody? Who was raising my son?

Luna: That's the part that's going to be the most difficult for you.

She turned her around to face the images. Her heart hurt just by looking.

Nora: PAIGE? But she tried to kill me?

Luna: And no one knew that but _you_—and Bo—There as no evidence Nora—and when Bo was arrested, Matthew went to the person who was living with his father since neither of you had made any arrangements in writing.

Nora:This is just _wonderful._ This isn't just a nightmare Luna—it's hell.

Luna: Then I suggest you come over here and watch…

She led her to the hospital room where Bo was keeping Vigil. She forced her to look at the life in front of her.

Luna: You still have a chance to change things Nora?

Nora: How? How do I change things?

Luna: You stop being afraid and start fighting. That man right there—he's crazy about you. You have two kids that love you. And that child I showed you—she _could _be yours—if you would just CHOOSE to live. You can have the life you want Nora? Didn't you always say that you wanted Bo to love you again? Look at that? He does. You can have it. You can have it all.

Before she had a chance to process things, Luna disappeared. She had to choose to either walk towards the light or to stay where she was and live. She watched the scene in front of her. Did Bo really love her or did he just feel guilty? Did she really have anything to come back to or were they all better off without her? So many questions—still no answers.

The monitors at the hospital suddenly started going off and Bo got up from the bed and called for a nurse. Was she coming back to him? Or leaving him?

TBC


End file.
